I ran, not to rip the joey away from its mother, but from fear she might attack me,” Sam Jones, who also uses the name Samantha Strable, posted on social media.

Sam Jones, the U.S. influencer who drew criticism this week for stealing a baby wombat from its mother, issued a lengthy apology on her Instagram account Saturday.

A video of the online influencer snatching the joey from the side of its mother drew calls for her to be deported. She left the country Friday.